


Cold Hands

by Closeted_Calliope



Category: Raggedy Ann & Andy - All Media Types
Genre: Blushy Babette, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, Sweet, and andy is the comic relief/dealer of surprisingly decent advice, ann is oblivious, babette is a disaster lesbian, he n bab have nice little heart to heart despite hating each other lol, its just real sweet, real wholesome gay stuff, until she isn't ;)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:42:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29690358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Closeted_Calliope/pseuds/Closeted_Calliope
Summary: Babette's been having a rough time. Every time she spends time with Ann, she finds herself feeling all funny inside, her heart beating faster and her face burning bright. And she keeps doing all these nice things for her, what was that all about? And why did Andy keep giving her strange, knowing looks?
Relationships: Raggedy Ann/Babette
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	Cold Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, I'm here writing this bc I'm procrastinating other stuff and also my buddy Nick (@spaloonusbabooguscooties on tumblr) cursed me with another really good fic idea. This is dedicated to my buddy Leo (@kind-little-fella) bc he's been having a particularly rough week and good god does he need some extra love. (You a real one Leo and ily binch) Hope y'all enjoy!!!

Babette sat at the edge of her bed, wringing her gloves in her hand nervously.

She was really starting to question the way she felt about Ann.

Ann hadn't done anything particularly special, or at least out of the ordinary; she was kind and thoughtful, but she was that way with everyone. Still, whenever she spent time, especially time alone, with Ann, Babette felt something moving around inside herself that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

Her porcelain heart would start racing around in her chest, and heat would rise up in her cheeks. Her hands would get a little shaky and her mind would be unable to focus on anything but Ann.

Babette sighed, flopping back onto her bed and staring at the ceiling.

Deep down, she knew exactly why she felt like this, but she refused to let herself consider it for even a moment, lest it become tangible and real.

"Hey, Babette!"

Babette jolted up from her bed with a start, turning to look out her window. 

There she was, Raggedy Ann herself, smiling wide and waving up at her.

"Marcella should be in school by now, so you can come out if you like!" she called.

"That sounds wonderful, Ann! I'll be right down," Babette called back.

She turned away from the window to brush sweat away from her brow. Of course, she wasn't actually sweating, being a doll, but her face was burning so hard she wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

She considered just holing up in the dollhouse for the day, so she didn't have to deal with these strange feelings. But that would also mean that she wouldn't see Ann, and she'd be upset if she suddenly changed her mind after agreeing to spend time together.

Taking a deep breath to steady her mind, she took one last look in the mirror, making sure she looked exquisite as usual, and made her way down the stairs and out the front door of the dollhouse.

Ann was waiting for her, fidgeting a little bit with her apron. She looked up at the sound of the doors opening and grinned warmly at Babette, sending a slew of butterflies into the pit of her stomach. 

"Hello, Ann," she managed to greet, an involuntary smile dancing upon her lips. "What have you been up to today?"

"Well, there hasn't been much to do far, but Andy and I were gonna do some coloring!" Ann explained, her hands flapping around a bit in excitement. "Did you want to join us?"

"I'd love to!" Babette replied, brushing a few stray curls out of her face.

"C'mon! We have everything set up just over there!" Ann reached over and grabbed Babette's hand, but then she paused. "Hmmm...."

Babette, ignoring the dizzying spell the physical contact with Ann caused her, asked, "What's wrong?"

"Your hands are awfully cold, Babette."

"Oh, I see." Babette looked away, a bit embarrassed. "I suppose porcelain can get quite cold, I hadn't noticed..."

"Don't worry!" Ann assured her with a smile, "I'll hang onto them! That should warm them up real quick!" Her grip on Babette's hand tightened as she gently led her towards a little station of crayons and paper, guarded by Andy, who was very focused on his own drawing.

"O-Oh, thank you, Ann." 

Babette knew that this was going to be a long day.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Babette?"

"Hmm?" She looked up from her drawing. She hadn't been completely sure as to what to draw, so she ended up doing a portrait of Ann while she drew. Andy was also there, but you couldn't really see him, maybe just a part of his foot and leg in the background. 

Ann picked up her drawing and held it up for Babette to see. "What do you think of this?" 

It was a bit crudely drawn, but it was still recognizable: Babette and Ann were holding hands, smiling, with a big flower in each of their free hands. Ann was holding a big daisy, and Babette held a huge rose.

"Ann, that came out really nice!" She commented with a smile.

Ann beamed. "Really? You think so?"

Babette nodded, her heart swelling at the sight of Ann's joy. "I truly do."

"Psh, okay, Ann's drawing is pretty great," Andy interrupted, rolling his eyes. He jumped to his feet and picked up his own drawing. "But have you ever seen something as good as _this_?" He gestured to his masterpiece. 

It was certainly a very Andy picture, to say the least. There was a racecar jumping over an active volcano, and it was heading directly into a dinosaur's mouth. It was also raining fire while a lightening storm was happening simultaneously.

Babette grimaced. "It..... certainly is an original drawing, Andrew."

Andy's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying, it's certainly a unique picture."

"You don't have to sugarcoat it, Babette. I can take constructive criticism, you know."

"Okay, fine. I think your drawing sucks."

Andy clutched his drawing in his arms and glared at her. "That's.... not constructive criticism."

Babette smirked and drawled, "No, it was, you just don't know how to take it. There's nothing wrong with being bad at taking criticism, Andrew."

Groaning and rolling his eyes, Andy plopped back down and picked up another piece of paper. "You're just crazy," he mumbled, grabbing a fresh piece of paper to scribble another masterpiece onto.

"Andy, that's not nice," Ann chided. 

As Andy looked up to face his sister, he watched as Babette stuck her tongue out at him teasingly, out of his sister's sight. 

He made a face of indignation, Ann didn't notice, turning back to find Babette continuing her drawing. 

Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head at the sight of Babette's picture. "Golly, Babette!" she exclaimed. "That's fantastic! You're really good at drawing!"

"Oh, I don't know," Babette said with a shrug, "it's nothing particularly complicated. Just a little, how do you say, doodle."

Ann took Babette's hands in her own, ceasing any cognitive thoughts Babette had in an instant. "But look at what you've done! It's unlike anything I've ever seen in my life!"

Babette blushed, looking away. "Th-Thank you, Ann. That means a-a lot coming from you."

Ann grinned before letting go of Babette's hands (oh, how she'd wished she'd held her a bit longer) and returned to her paper, starting up another picture. She was blissfully unaware that Babette was just frozen in her spot, staring at her hands. 

She could've sworn she felt the soft warmth that radiated from Ann escaping her fingers with each second that passed. So desperately, she wanted that warmth back, to feel the way Anns cozy mitted hands felt in her own. But unfortunately, she was also too nervous to ask for her to do that.

She looked up, to see what Ann was starting to draw this time, but she noticed something out of the corner of her eye: Andy giving her a mischievous smirk. 

It lasted but a second, before he snickered and went back to his drawing, but Babette still saw it.

Her eyes narrowed.

What was going on in that silly little head of his?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the day went on without too much fanfare. Marcella eventually came home from school and played with them for a while. It ended up being a tea party, one of Marcella's favorites, as well as Babette's. She was just glad that Marcella wasn't allowed to use 'tea' like last time, considering how many ants they had to get rid of after that. Not to mention, it took forever to get the sugar water out of her dress.

The tea party went without an issue, though, and eventually she was called down for dinner. As soon as the playroom door closed, Babette stretched her arms above her head with a sigh. "That was rather enjoyable, wasn't it?"

Ann nodded as she slipped out of her seat to the floor. "Yes! I thought it was pretty funny when Marcella pretended to have Andy spill the tea all over himself!" She giggled.

"I'm just glad she didn't _actually_ spill anything on me this time," He huffed, picking himself up off the floor. 

Babette slipped down from her own seat and brushed some dust from her dress. "Lucky for you, perhaps," she teased.

Andy turned to her and opened his mouth to make a snide remark, but then Ann chimed in, "Babette, that's so mean! Surely you don't really mean that?"

Babette wanted to so badly to say that yes, she did mean it, because Raggedy Andy was the most annoying man she'd ever met in her life. Well, other than the Captain, but to Andy's credit it was really hard to be more annoying than _him_. 

The look on Ann's face, however, pleading and filled with genuine care for her brother, forced Babette to lie, defeated, "Of course, not Ann. I.... I'm sorry, Andrew."

As Ann smiled in appreciation, Babette zoned in on the smug look crawling onto Andy's face.

She scowled. He had to know she wasn't doing it for his benefit, yet of course, he was letting it go to his head. Imbecile. 

Still smirking smugly, Andy strutted his way towards the other side of the playroom. 

Babette scoffed as she watched him go, "He's unbelievable."

"Yeah, he can be a lot sometimes," Ann agreed, taking a spot beside her, "but he's really not that bad if you get to know him a little better!"

"I'll believe that when I see it," Babette mumbled. 

Ann was quiet after that. 

Worried that she somehow offended her, Babette turned to apologize, but only found Ann staring intently at her.

"A-Ann?"

Ann didn't respond, she just reached out and brushed her hand up into Babette's curls.

Babette was absolutely speechless, hoping Ann couldn't hear the sound of her heart pounding out of her chest. 

Ann stroked her for a moment before smiling and pulling out a little grey ball. "There was a piece of lint in your hair, hehe! Don't worry, though, I got it out!"

Babette felt her heart sink a little. "Ah, I-I see. Thank y-you, Annie."

"No problem!" She replied with a grin before skipping off to do something else. 

Babette sighed. For a moment there, she'd allowed herself to hope. She had hoped that maybe, just maybe, Ann was planning to.....

It was silly, anyway. It wasn't like anything like that was going to happen between them.

Her ears pricked up at the sound of laughter happening across the room. She snapped her head around to find Andy snickering to himself, trying to avoid her eye.

Oh, he knew something. He most certainly did.

Babette just needed to find out what that was.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Psst. Andrew."

Andrew turned over in his sleep with a loud snore.

"Andrew. Wake up. It's important.

He stirred a little bit more, but still remained asleep.

Babette hissed, "Oh for the sake of Paris-"

She reached under his blanket and grabbed one of his legs. She then proceeded to drag him out from the bed by his one leg.

Even as his head bonked against the floor and was dragged across the playroom, Andy still refused to wake up.

 _Good god, this boy could sleep through the end of the world,_ Babette thought bitterly as she pulled him over towards the dollhouse.

Once she got him to a good spot, far away from the other sleeping toys, she whisper-yelled, "Andrew!" and smacked him across the face.

It wasn't the pain that woke him up, given that he was made of fabric and couldn't feel physical pain, but rather the sensation of being slapped so hard, he faceplanted into the side of the dollhouse.

"Ughhhhh...." he groaned. as he peeled himself from the house. "Wha.... wha's happen.... Babette?"

"I need you to tell me something."

Andy struggled to open his eyes as he pulled himself to his feet. "It's like..... It's like 2 in the morning! What could you possibly need to know at this hour?"

"What's with all those weird looks you keep giving me whenever you see me and Ann together?" She snapped. 

Andy stared blankly at her for a second. "You're kidding me right?"

Babette crossed her arms indignantly, silently informing that she was, in fact, not kidding.

"Oh my gosh, are you actually that stupid?" He asked as he dragged his hand across his face.

" _Excusé moi_? I don't appreciate being referred to as-"

"I know you're in love with her, Babette."

Babette paused mid-protest, confused very obviously not expecting that response. "I.... have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me, I've seen the way you look at her!" Andy retorted, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "You always spend more time with her than anyone else, you're actually nice to her, you get all weird and freeze up when she talks to you; I mean, did you think we all didn't notice it?!?"

Babette was silent for a moment. Then she turned away with a dry, humorless laugh. 

"You know, Andrew," she said as she pressed her back against the dollhouse, sliding down to the floor, "I don't think _I_ even noticed."

"Hold on, wait, really? You didn't know?" Andy frowned, "But it was like, _really_ obvious!"

Babette shrugged.

Andy sighed and sat down beside her. "So, now that you know, are you gonna tell her how you feel?"

"Of course not! I'm sure she doesn't even feel the same way...."

Andy scoffed. "Okay, well, you're not the one that has to hear Annie gush about how cool and nice you are all the time."

"She thinks I'm cool and nice?" Babette asked, turning to face Andy with a hopeful look.

"She sure does," Andy replied with a soft smile. "And I know she'd be overjoyed if she knew you felt the same way about her."

"But I don't even know how to tell someone as wonderful as her! I...." She trailed off.

Andy looked at her expectantly. "You......?

"I've..... never actually felt this way about anyone before. Everyone else that showed interest to me before was so unbelievably horrible, and it was easy to ignore and reject their advances."

"Like the captain."

"Exactly! But, Ann........ Ann's different. She cares so much, and she is just so genuine and kind to everyone she meets, even imbeciles like the Captain. She makes me feel........ _warm_ , in a way I don't think I've ever felt before."

"Why don't you just tell her that?"

"Huh?"

"Tell her that she makes you feel warm inside. I promise you, she's gonna understand what you mean."

Babette was quiet as she considered this. Then she sighed. 

"Okay. I'll tell her tomorrow. And, uh, thanks, Andy."

"Don't mention it." Andy stretched out his arms and pushed himself up from the ground. "Welp, I'm gonna go back to sleep since, you know, _someone_ ," he halfheartedly glared at Babette, "decided to wake me up."

"In my defense, it was a very important question, Andrew," Babette retorted with a smirk.

"Okay, yeah, you keep telling yourself that," he said with a roll of his eyes as he headed back towards his bed.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ann woke up bright and early the next day, as she often did. 

She slid out of her bed and headed towards the middle of the playroom, to see if anything needed to be cleaned up from last night. Of course, she didn't _have_ to, but she thought it was nice if Marcella had one less thing to clean up.

She noticed, however, that there was a figure on the windowsill.

It was Babette, looking outside, her small hands pressed against the glass windowpanes.

Ann took a few curious steps closer.

"B-Babette?"

Babette turned and looked down at Ann, giving her a small smile. "Oh, hello, Ann, I.... I didn't hear you get up."

Ann climbed up onto the rocking chair and pulled herself onto the windowsill. "What are you doing up so early, Babette?"

"Truthfully, I didn't really sleep last night," Babette admitted with a sheepish smile.

Ann gasped. "Babette! That's not good! Why couldn't you sleep last night?"

Babette paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steel her nerves. "I-I was thinking a lot about things."

"What kind of things?"

"I...." Babette looked away, embarrassed that she was really going to be admitting such a vulnerable truth about herself.

"Babette-?"

"You make me feel warm, Annie!" she blurted out.

"W-What?"

Babette fiddled with the edge of her dress, continuing, "Whenever I'm with you, I feel things.... things no one else has ever made me feel before. You...... you make my heart swell and my head spin and I..... I think I care about you more than anyone else. And I-I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way, I understand, but, if I didn't tell you, goodness, I don't know how much longer-"

She found herself unable to speak as a pair of soft linen hands wrapped themselves around her own.

"Golly, Babette," Ann said quietly, a sly grin on her face, "you hands are just like ice!"

Babette was silent, unable to tear her eyes away from Ann's gaze.

"I wonder," she continued, moving on of her hands towards Babette's cheek and pulling her closer, "if your face needs to be warmed as well....."

And then she pressed their lips together.

Babette froze for a moment, then melted into Ann's touch, her eyes fluttering shut She felt an explosion of warm burst out from her face, her heart pounding out of her chest. It was like all the pieces of the puzzle were suddenly falling into place.

This was it.

This was what she'd been waiting for for longer than she even knew.

Ann pulled away far sooner than Babette would've liked. As Babette's eyes slowly opened, she looked down to find Ann beaming up at her. 

"You make me feel warm too, Babette," She admitted shyly, holding both of her hands in her own.

Babette was so overcome with joy, she acted before she knew what she was doing. She picked up Ann in her arms and began to spin her around with a huge grin.

As Ann giggled, Babette loudly proclaimed, for the entire playroom to hear, "I LOVE YOU, RAGGEDY ANN!!!"

Andy watched from beside the bookshelf with a knowing smirk as his sister was spun around gleefully by the woman she loved.

He was glad Babette finally confessed, he wasn't sure he could take much of their dancing around each other for much longer.

Useless lesbians.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't like how I ended it but I'm still gonna post it bc it'll never get posted if i try to wait until I like the ending. But yeah, hope y'all enjoyed! Until next time!!!
> 
> -CC


End file.
